Ex-UK minister jailed for fudging expenses

LONDON (AP) — A former British legislator and Cabinet minister has been sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to making nearly 13,000 pounds ($21,250) in bogus expense claims.

Denis MacShane, who served as Europe minister under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, admitted to filing 19 fake receipts for "research and translation" services between January 2005 and January 2008. The money from those claims was used to fund trips, including one to Paris to judge a literary competition.

MacShane's admission capped several years of scrutiny of his expenses, following the 2009 scandal that found U.K. lawmakers had billed the public for items such as pornographic movies and an ornamental duck house.

He was sentenced Monday to six months in jail at London's Old Bailey Court.